By michael c, submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 29/09/2005 - 14:38
A protest in Glasgow against racist deportations will have added anger & bitterness. The protest was called by school-friends & neighbours of the Vucaj family, imprisoned 2 weeks ago. This morning we learned the family had been deported.
The Vucaj family arrived in Glasgow 5 years in Glasgow, fleeing ethnic violence and persecution in Kosova, which remains a dangerous place. The three children Saida 13, Nimet 16, and Elvis, 18, all speak with Glasgow accents and regard Glasgow as their home. They settled well at St Brendan's Primary and Drumchapel High School.
At 6.00 am on Tuesday 13 September, the family were forcibly taken from their Kingsway flat by a sixteen strong immigration snatch squad who kicked down their door in a horrific dawn raid. They were taken to Yarls Wood detention centre in England.
“In the living room, my father, my brother in handcuffs. My father is pure crying, my mother is crying. I never saw my father cry. I told the lady, 'What is wrong with you? I can't go to detention, I’m 13 and I’m going to school today.�
13 year old Saida.
A petition was organised at Drumchapel High School to try to stop the deportation of Saida Vucaj, 13, and her brothers Nimet, 16, and Elvis, 18. Their parents, Isen and Nexhi Vucaj are said to be on medication for various illnesses.
School friends and neighbours packed a meeting of Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees on 14th September, the day after the family was snatched. A protest was organised (by the young people) for the Saturday, outside the immigration Reporting Centre at Brand Street, Govan. With only a couple of days notice, the kids managed to get 300 people to turn up on a rainy Saturday September morning in Govan.
Many of the young refugees addressed the crowd, demanding the right to stay in Scotland, calling for solidarity against all deportations. Another, bigger demo was called for on Saturday 1st October, this time in the city centre.
"I'm asking the people of Scotland to shout with me, do they think that this is acceptable?"
Children’s Commissioner for Scotland
Meanwhile, the campaign gathered strength. The Children's Commissioner for Scotland called for a "public outcry" over the handling of asylum seeking families facing deportation. Thousands signed petitions and the young people met with MSPs at the Scottish parliament, and the First Minister was forced – for the first time – to speak out on immigration:
"From public bodies to children's organisations to school friends, there is recognition that these scandalous immigration practices are causing trauma and distress, and blatantly disregard children's rights. When Scottish society expresses such profound concern, it is right to expect the Scottish Parliament to do likewise."
Jack “no comment� McConnell
Yesterday, Wednesday 28th September, it looked like a decision would be made to either release the family an look at an appeal, or deport them. 13 year old Saida spoke from her prison cell:
“I’ll be pure, pure, pure excited if they pick for us to go back to Glasgow�.
But in the small hours the family was again awakened by immigration enforcers. Saida phoned Robina:
"At 4.21 am this morning, I was woken in the night. 13 year old Saida Vucaj phoned me weeping and exhausted. She said they woke her and her family and told them to get dressed because they are taking her and her family back to ‘our country’ - and then the line went dead."
This march and rally goes ahead, with sadness and with rage. The campaign against deportations goes on.
See http://www.paih.org for a timeline of events, background info, and news of the continuing campaign.
And please come along to make your voice heard.
No One Is Illegal.
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